Solomon Islands

Heading out to the South Pacific, to Melanesia, we're off to the Solomon Islands. Located out there to the east of Papua New Guinea, the country has 6 major islands but over 900 smaller islands (many of those are uninhabited, as just about half a million people call the Solomon Islands home. 

Memorial Day this year just happened to be JFK's 100th Birthday, and sometimes when it's a president's birthday, I try and pick a country that goes along with it. (See: James Monroe and Liberia) Our landmark was a nod to JFK, with Kennedy Island. This island (also known as Plum Pudding Island, or Kasolo Island) is one of those uninhibited islands, but it's notable for it's roll of the story of PT-109 (which of course you all remember from JFK's birthday, right? You guys! I even have the coconut prop!)   Anyway, it's the island the crew of PT-109 swam to when they were attacked by the Japanese in WWII. While nobody lives there, there is a small shrine to Kennedy that a local man  who aided in the rescue, built. (Good luck trying to find what it looks like, I googled forever, but I did find an article about the guy who created it. He died in 2014 at 93 years old. ) 

From dense forests to traditional villages, the whole country does have something in common: it's not only off the beaten path- there is no beaten path. Islanders are peaceful and friendly, and laid-back, but they still practice ancient arts and till their village gardens the same way they have for centuries. 

It's a country who's trademarks include spear fishing, animist beliefs, shark calling, underwater volcanoes that erupt into the sea, hot springs, deep sea fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving and spooky sunken WWII warships. 

The country has two seasons: dry and rainy. 

They also have lots of mangroves full of salt-water crocodiles (they're super common, so you have to be careful near ANY body of water in the Solomon Islands). 

Oh and Megapods! They are these big chicken like birds that bury their eggs nearly 3 feet underground. When it hatches, the babies have to find their way out! 

It's also home to the smallest type of seahorse in the world: the pygmy seahorse. 

The islands are all different and diverse. 

The Are'are people on Malatia are famous for their panpipe instruments made from bamboo. Handcrafted, they are made perfect pitch every time. 

Skull Island contains a wooden shrine filled with the skulls of famous chiefs and warriors. (It's protected all hours of the day, like our Tomb of the Unknown soldier.) 

There's also the Munda village where they have a legend of the 'Cave of the Custom Shark'. They believe that in this cave each village has it's own shark to protect it. 

The boys made their postcards. 

Calib's was not, um, impressive. But to be fair, this was they day we discovered he was slightly color blind (he has trouble with dark greens apparently), so we got sidetracked with online color blind tests. By the time he got back to his postcard it was quite a while later, and we had moved on to other stuff. 

Peyton made sure that his islanders featured their trademark blond hair. Nearly all of the residents of the islands are of Melanesian decent. A genetic mutation unique to the Melanesian nations cause strikingly blond hair. 

Hayden particularly enjoyed that the islanders pull their handmade boats up to cruise ships to sell their goods, so he added that to his postcard.

Sometimes finding recipes can be tough. I mean, I am not the first person to be blogging of our adventures of cooking a meal for every country in the world. But some countries the same thing comes up over and over again. Fish is a staple meat in the Solomon Islands. And, as we have established, I just can't get behind fish. I just cannot do it. So the island countries who of course eat what they can catch, make it particularly difficult on me. 

What I'm saying is that I didn't have a lot of choice when I decided on  Papaya Chicken and Coconut Milk, along with a mashed sweet potatoes, and a tabbouleh salad with a little citrus and tomatoes. For our fruit we had bananas, but they do like to drip their bananas in caramel for a sweet treat, so the bananas doubled as our fruit and dessert. 

This one earned three spoons up, I think (it was a few days ago, I remember parts of it being popular - and other parts being not so popular, though). 

First of all, we've discussed my entire family (myself excluded) hates sweet potatoes. And how I keep trying. But, we did still have a few left from that ten pound bag for $1.99 at Costco, and I was getting really frustrated with finding a recipe for this one, so I think my wonderful husband just took one for the team and made (and ate) them. 

Hayden, meanwhile LOVED the Papaya, which was good because Peyton picked out all of his, so Hayden got double. 

The Tabbouleh was popular, and I know Peyton had seconds (and then was found eating some out of the bowl after dinner was over and we were cleaning up). We did cheat a little on that one though and just buy the boxed stuff and added in the tomatoes. 

But for me, this one was just ok. It's largely forgettable, and not something I would personally ask for again. 

So forgettable in fact, I must have forgotten a picture of the table. 

But, that's 87 down, 106 to go! 

Next Up: The Ivory Coast!